Police say teen and mom had sets of keys to car

By Pierrette J. Shields Longmont Times-Call

Posted:
01/09/2013 12:44:30 PM MST

Updated:
01/09/2013 12:49:17 PM MST

Kendra Rae Balentine, 18, of Longmont, who was arrested on suspicion of leaving the scene of a fatal accident, a third-degree felony, waves to her family during her court appearance at the Boulder County Jail on Friday January 4, 2013. Photo by Paul Aiken / The Longmont Times Call
(
Paul Aikne
)

LONGMONT -- An 18-year-old Longmont woman was released from the Boulder County Jail on Wednesday on a $50,000 bond, just a few hours after a judge agreed to lower her initial $100,000 bond in a fatal hit-and-run case.

Kendra Rae Balentine was being held on suspicion of leaving the scene of an accident involving a death in the New Year's Eve hit and run that left Jason Grimmer, 16, of Denver, dead.

Police believe Balentine left a church gathering on New Year's Eve when a family member either called or texted her for help and took her car to the 2200 block of Main Street, where Grimmer was struck as he fled a fight.

Corey Seulean (LEWIS GEYER)

According to police reports, a group of four white boys and men used racially charged language to harass a lone black man in the area just before 10 p.m. Officers investigated and the black man declined to press charges. The group agreed to leave the area on a bus and had gone to the bus stop on the 2200 block of Main Street. Police left but were called back to the area 17 minutes later on a report of a fight between the group of four and six black men in their 20s.

Police believe Grimmer was running from the fight when he was struck.

Balentine's family and pastor have contended since her arrest that she never left the church from about 9 p.m. until 12:15 a.m. on New Year's Day. Pastor Corey Seulean said on Tuesday that 30 people in the church for the service will testify that Balentine was with them all night.

Longmont Police Cmdr. Jeff Satur said on Wednesday that police are interviewing the church members and following up on leads, including scouring the Main Street corridor for any surveillance video that may have recorded portions of the event.

"At some point we'll exhaust all of these leads," he said.

However, he said there is no doubt that Balentine's car hit Grimmer and that investigators believe there are only two sets of keys for the vehicle. He said Balentine had one set and her mother had the other. Both women were at the church service, and Satur said Balentine's mother, Stephanie, is not suspected of taking the car.

Satur said investigators are focused on the hit and run for the moment and will focus on the fight that preceded after the crash investigation is concluded. Balentine is scheduled to return to Boulder County Court on Feb. 28 for a preliminary hearing on the charge.

Boulder County prosecutor Ryan Brackley said that Balentine was not charged with vehicular homicide because the investigation did not turn up any evidence of careless or improper driving. Satur said there was nothing to indicate Grimmer was struck intentionally.

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